Why I Love WordPress

For MANY years now, I have created all websites for myself and my clients in WordPress. Here are my top 5 reasons why:

It’s a coder’s playground: my education in web is as a web developer. In the HTML/CSS days I created websites from the backend using code. I went to BCIT for their Applied Web Development program. I learned HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, XML and the list goes on. So when I started tinkering with WordPress, it was familiar territory for me and I became very comfortable with it quickly.
Hundreds of themes and plugins: there isn’t anything I can’t do for a client. Shopping carts, galleries, contact forms, mailchimp, video… You name it, it can be added in. Some are free and some do cost but it is still much better than having someone create that functionality from scratch. The possibilities are almost endless.
It is user-friendly: I love that with a bit of training my clients can manage their own websites without having to learn how to code. Technically, you can create your own website using WordPress, but if you have never touched WordPress before it would be overwhelming to have to learn as you go, instead of having someone with experience from the start.
Endless support: lots of online how-to’s and tutorials on using and creating a WordPress website. Also, if at any point I hit a bump and cannot seem to fix a problem, I can find online support. Most of the time someone is able to post a solution that helps me. The online community of users, developers and programmers surrounding WordPress is extensive.
It can grow with your business: your WordPress website can grow as your business grows and changes. You can start off with a simple informational website for your business and if in two years you decide you want to sell products through your website, all I have to do is install a shopping cart plugin. No need to start over with a whole new website. If at some point you want to change the look (theme) of your website, we don’t have to start from scratch. We find a new theme, install it, customize it and you’re good to go. WordPress keeps the content (pages and posts) you previously had along with any media (images, video, graphics) you’ve uploaded over time. This makes it easy to “freshen” up your website without starting from scratch each time.